New Delhi The food ministry has opposed the agriculture ministry's proposal to hike the support price of paddy by over 15% to Rs 1,250 per quintal for 2012-13, saying the move would result in increase in food subsidy bill. The minimum support price (MSP) of paddy of common and 'A' grade varieties stood at Rs 1,080 and Rs 1,110 per quintal, respectively, in the 2011-12 crop year (July-June).
New Delhi Unhappy with the minimum penalty norms in Coal India’s fuel supply agreements (FSA), the power ministry has approached the coal ministry to change the disputed clauses. ‘‘We are trying ... we are taking up this issue with Coal India and ministry of coal. Disincentives are not there for three years and after three years penalty is only 0.01% ... we would want it to be changed,’’ power secretary P Uma Shankar told reporters here.
Melbourne/Hyderabad The Australian government has raised objections to environmental clearance given by a provincial government to GVK Group's USD 10 billion Alpha Coal mine project in Galilee Basin, Queensland. The objections raised by the federal government can delay the progress of the project. In a statement, federal minister for environment, Tony Burke, said that the Queensland government has not provided a sound assessment and he will be required to obtain the information that Queensland has failed to provide.
Kolkata Coal India (CIL) has dropped plans of importing coal directly and will instead ask MSTC to import on its behalf if it is forced to import coal to meet its supply obligations. A CIL official told FE that the company has decided to keep itself free from any import activities and stay away from long-term import contracts in favour of yearly deals.
“At this rate, the Capital will be gasping for breath by 2021” Delhi's air quality is worsening and if urgent action is not taken we will have a serious problem at hand, warns Centre for Science and Environment's latest report card. “The summer of 2012 is a grim reminder of the severe and worsening multi-pollutant crisis. CSE's analysis of the official air quality data shows that ozone, the new predator in town, has exceeded standards on all days in May and most days in April this year in areas including Civil Lines and the airport and on 80 per cent days in residential colonies including R. K. Puram,” notes the report.
India’s backward states are growing fast, proving that good economics can be good politics as well The fall in India’s GDP growth to just 6.5% in 2011-12 has caused much moaning and groaning, along with
The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) wants to focus on housing for the economically weaker sections. On Tuesday, its Chairman and Managing Director V. P. Baligar said the organisation has upped its performance in the social housing sector, and is keen to do more. “We are in discussions with the government of Rajasthan for a special scheme of housing for the urban poor. We will extend support to the Rajasthan government.
The government has chosen home minister P Chidambaram to head the group of ministers (GOM) to decide on a regulator for the coal sector. The union cabinet had referred the draft coal regulatory authority
Monsoon preparedness and door-to-door collection of waste were the dominant themes discussed at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Tuesday. However, discussions on repayment of the loan due against the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi were postponed till the next meeting. Based on the population and areas falling under their jurisdiction, the loan amount of over Rs. 2100 crore due against the erstwhile MCD will be shared by the three newly-constituted corporations of North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations.
Actor Aamir Khan, who has been earning accolades for highlighting social issues through his television programme Satyamev Jayate , will soon be seen spreading awareness about the problem of malnutrition as part of a major publicity campaign by the government. “The Women and Child Development [WCD] Ministry has planned a major information, education and communication or IEC campaign against malnutrition with the pro bono services of the actor. The campaign will be ready in a month or two,” a senior Ministry official said.
WHO panel proposed treaty requires all governments to share cost India supports a proposed legally binding global instrument that requires all governments to share the cost of research and development (R&D). The treaty, recommended by a World Health Organisation panel, will boost access to countries least able to pay for medical innovations but need it most. This would also delink profits from medical discoveries.
Industry waste has asphyxiated the river and destroyed livelihoods, says Joe A Scaria From wherever in India you are reading these lines, odds are high that your innerwear was made in the Coimbatore-Tirupur
The Annual Plan for Assam for 2012-13 was on Tuesday finalised at Rs.10,500 crore at a meeting here between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. At this level, the Plan size is over 16% higher than the outlay for the previous fiscal. Initiating discussions with Mr. Gogoi on Assam's performance, Mr. Ahluwalia lauded the steady improvement in gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth during the first three years of the 11th Plan. GSDP growth (at 2004-05 prices) improved from 4.81% in 2007-08 to 6.82% in 2008-09 and is estimated at 8.08% in 2009-10.
RINL along with two other companies (Ispat Industries and Essar Steel) bagged the prestigious award with "3 Leaves rating" out of 5 leaves. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited has received the prestigious Green
The CBI has set up 14 teams for “detailed investigations” into possible criminal misconduct in the allocation of 64 coal blocks during 2006-09, and allegations of their misuse by allottees. Sources said
The opinion on the success of second generation of genetically modified BT cotton variety, Bollgard 2, in the state is chiefly polarised. The new variety, resilient to two chief pests, has a large chunk
On World Environment Day, Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan said that not a single infrastructure project was delayed because of her ministry. Responding to reporters on familiar criticism from
Even before the peak season of encephalitis, Acute Encephalitis Syndrome has already claimed 80 lives in Uttar Pradesh. In spite of infrastructural support, including new ventilators and wards for encephalitis
Outrage has given way to expectancy in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, where people are now waiting for the benefits that will come to them from a multipurpose project on the Subarnarekha, a venture that is
Jairam Ramesh’s criticism of NREGA highlights that a rights-based approach to poverty reduction cannot work without improving implementation The clamour for the right to social pensions is another attempt
